Delivery-tricycle.



W. A. BARNES.

DELIVERY TRICYCLE.

APPLICATION men D20. 2. 1914.

Patented Jan. 18,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET lillll ll Il 1 WlTA/ESSES: wzmmm (km INVE/VTUR Wilham A. Barnes A TTORNEYS W. A. BARNES.

DELIVERY TRICYCLE.

APPLICATION FILED 050.2, 1914 1,168,995. Patented $1111.18, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: l/Vl/E/V TOR William A. Barnes w i f E E, BY

THE COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH .COH WASHINGTON. D. C.

W. A. BARNES.

DELIVERY TRICYCLE. APPLICATION F|i.ED DEC. 2, 1914.

1,168,995. Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES. l/Vl/E/V TOR Z William A. Barnes A TTOR/VEYS WILLIAM A. nannies, ornnwyonn, n. Y.

nnLavEnY-TRIoYc E.

1.1683995; k p c s am-s s: .PateiitedJan.18,1 91.6. Applicationfiled December 2.-1e14-. Seria1No;875,120.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM A. BARNES,

a citizen of .the United States,- and a resident of the city ofNew York, Seaside, bor

oughof Queens," county of Queens, and

State of New York, have invented new and Improved Delivery-Tricycle, of which the following isa full, clear, andexact description. I

This invention relates to tricycles used for dellvery purposes nthe grocery and other trades.

i The invention has: for its'general objects to improve and simplify the construction of vehicles of the character referred to so as to be comparatively simple and. inexpensive to manufacture, of durable and substantial design, and possessing a large carrying capacity in proportion to its size,- as thesize is of special importance, since it is highly desirable that the tricycle can at night be wheeled into the storeso as to avoidthe necessityof garage expenses, which is the casewithlarge size'tricycles.

-A further object of the invention is'the provision of a tricycle having a novel frame structure whereby a flat platform for carryingba'skets and the like is arranged in front of the steering post and between the latter and steering wheel, such platform having means whereby a plurality of baskets can be detachably locked thereto, and furthermore, the frame lnay'be formed with a rear extension or platforin for carrying additional baskets or the like, v

WVith such objects in view, and others which will appearas the description pro ceeds,the invention comprises various novel featuresof construction and arrangement of partswhich will beset forth with particularity in the following, description and claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of the invention and wherein similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, Figure 1 is a side view of the tricycle showing baskets or other receotaclesby dot ted lines; Fig; 2 is aplan view of the tricycle; Fig.3 is arear View; Fig. dis a sectional" View on the line Fig; 1; Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of a lockfor f'as teninga basket or other receptacle on the carrying platform and Fig. 6 is. a sideview of a: modified form of the inventionyand F1g. '1 IS a plan view thereof. l I Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the frontor steering wheel of the vehicle and 2qand' 3 the rear wheels, one ofwhich acts' as a. driver, The frame A not only connects the wheels togetherbut is so detubing of inately triangular form, as shown, inl ig. 2,

the side. ban-s5. of the platform beingcon .verged' toward the front and are. united at 6,

where a depending tubular head or hearing 7 is'proyided for the stem of the steering iiork'Q. I The side bars 5 may beconnected together and 1 thereby braced by transverse bars 10 and 11 therebeing between thelatten and. the-head 7. abrace. 12. Adjacent the middle of the tricycle the side :bars 5 are bent inwardly toward each other at 1. 3, and

thence continue rearwardlyinto longitudi 'nal bars 143 which terminate adjacent to or over the rear axle Tlie'rear extremities oi thebars let are bent outwardly lIliJOOPPO- sitely extending arms 16 that havede'pend ing portions 17 terminating at their lower ends in bearings 18 fortheaxle 15. Atthe front of the bars 1i is a bracing or connect ing plate 19 which carries astubular'steering post 20, and in this post is a rotating steer-f ing rod-Q1 having handles or grips 22 at its upper extremity. The lower extremity of the steering shaft 21 has'oppositely extendiing arms '23 and located below the level of theplatform 4, and these arms'a-re connected' respectively by wires24 and as with oppositely extending arms 25 and on the steering fork. All of this steering connection is located below the platform so as not to interfere with the placing of baskets or other receptacles on the latter. Behind the steering post 20 and depending from the bars 1 4 is a crankhanger QGstiifened; by a brace 27, and in the bearingof this crank hanger isan axle '28 which has pedal cranks I 40 place.

29 and 30. On the axle is a sprocket 31 that drives a chain 32 which .meshes. with a sprocketjwheel 33 on the axle 15.. This sprocket wheel 33 is fastened to the axle Lin any suitable manner, as, for instance, by'a j pin 34,-and the wheel 3 has its i'hub "secured to the axle in any s'uitable'manner, as, for.

instance by a pin 35, the other rear wheel 2 being free to rotate on theaxle 15. By ar 1o ranging thewheels in this manner there can" be differential rotation without the need of.

a difierential gear. On the bars 14 is a post 36 which carries the riders seat37 In order to make use of the room behind the 15 seat 37 the frame of the tricycle is provided with a rearextension B formed of a pair of rearwardly-extending members 38 fastened to thearms 16 and connected by a cross :bar 39. On the horizontal platform thus formed a basket or equivalent receptacle-C can be 411upwardly. This catch 41 is adapted to engage under a crossbar'of aplatfo'rm to hold the basket firmly in place. Lateral shifting ofthe basket -is-prevented by pro' v viding in thecross bars 10, 11 and 39, a recess or notch 47. The catches 41 by engaging the recesses 47 prevent lateral shifting of, the basket on-the platform. It will thus beseen that no upstandingsides are required on the platforms to hold the baskets in To releasea basket it is merely necessary to push downwardlyon the pushbutton and the pushbutton can then be turned so as to throw the catch 41 from under the cross bar that it engaged. The basket can then be 45 lifted-off the vehicle. Asthe spring of the catch holds the same normally against the under side of the bottom of the basket the catchdoes not interfere with the resting of the basket on its bottom. 1

The form of the frame of the tricycle shown inFigs. 6 and 7 is substantially like the frame shown in the other figures, with the exception that there is a drop in the frame at the middle where the steering post 56 20 is located. In other words,the bars 14 are considerably below the level of the front platform 4, and these bars 14 are connected with the members 13' by vertical sections 14 ofthe metal tubing of which the frame is 60 made. By having this central. drop in the frame the crank hanger post 26 is comparatively short and is hence more rigid. A plurality of bracing bars 50 extend obliquely of the drop section 14 of the frame, and the N bracing bars are rigidly. secured at 51 to the drop portions 14 and are also rigidly secured to the basket-holding cross bar 10' and to the longitudinal bars 14. By means of these brace bars 50 the frame is considerably stiffened at the central point or midway between the wheels. T

Fromthe foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the constructionand 'methodof operation will be readily'understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have de-' scribed the principle of operation, together with the apparatus which Inow consider to be the best embodimentthereof, I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative and that such changesmay be madewhen ltlesirecl as' are within the scope of the appended-claims.

Having thus described my .invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patenti l= 1. A' vehicle of the :class described com,-

prising a frame including a front platform having side members bent. inwardly toward 90. each'other at therear, and said inwardly bent members being extended rearwardly sin 1 the form of closely disposedfbarsr and said bars being bent outwardly in opposite directions andhavin'gdownwardlyextending extremities, Land'a rear platform carried by the outwardly-bentportions of the said bars; ,5 a front steering wheel connected with the front end of the front platform; a rear: axle attached to the said downwardly extending extremities of the said bars; wheels on, the

real-axle; hanger fastened to the bars of the said frame; driving mechanism. support ed by the said hanger and connected with the rear axle; a SeatsuppOrted on thesaid bars; afixed hollow post mounted, on the said bars at a pointin front of thehanger and at the rear ofthe front platform a steering handle having a rod journaled in the said post; and connections between the said rod and steering wheel'and located under the front platform. 7 r 2.41 vehicle of the; class described comprising'a frame formed with a horizontal platform' at its front, said'platform having side members bent inwardly toward each other at the rear: ends and thence down,- wardly, said downwardly bent'portions be- 1 ing extended rearwardly in thenform of spaced parallel bars, said bars having their the front platform and theforward portions o of the said bars; a frontjsteering Wheel 0011- I vnected with the front part of the platfo'rm; a rear axle mounted in the said axle bearings; wheels connected with the axle; a dr vingr mechanlsm supported by the said parallel bars and operutively connected with the rear wheels; 11 seat mounted on the said here; a fixed hollow post fastened to the frame at a paint between said parallel bars and the front platform; and a steering device mounted in the post and operatively connected with the steering Wheel.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

' \YI'LLIAh I A. BARNES;

v Witnesses:

C. BRADWAY, PHILII D. ROLLHAUS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fiire cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. G. 

